Love All Out - The Complete Series (A Stepbrother Romance) (4 page)

“Then why aren’t you happy that she’s working here?”

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I think something’s going on between Renee and Daddy… something other than a casual, boss employee relationship,” I confessed.

“What?” Matt asked. The excitement on his face troubled me. I hated the idea of Daddy falling in love with someone new and I needed Matt to be on my side. He was my best friend after all, and that’s what best friends are supposed to do.

“You should have seen them together this morning. I half expected them to kiss each other goodbye when she and I left. For all I know, they did kiss. I walked out of the kitchen pretty quickly and she didn’t catch up with me until I reached the porch steps.”

“Maybe they are dating,” Matt said. “That would explain why he hired her without talking to you first. I agree that we needed the help, but I was surprised that he didn’t ask for your input before giving her the job.”

“Exactly! And his story about not wanting anyone else hiring her doesn’t wash out. He has a cell phone. Even if he did need to make a quick decision, he could have at least called me first.”

“But Willow, why would them dating be a problem?” Matt asked. “In all of the time I’ve known you, Cole’s never dated. Don’t you want him to find someone? Don’t you want him to be happy?”

“I do want him to be happy,” I spat and then felt myself deflate with the lie. Matt put a reassuring arm around me as I considered my answer. “I’m not exactly sure why the idea upsets me so much,” I admitted. “My parents had such a wonderful love story. I don’t remember Mom, but knowing that Daddy’s never forgotten her makes me feel better. I do want Daddy to be happy, but I can’t stand the thought of Mom being replaced.”

As I spoke, a single tear ran down my face. Explaining my feelings to Matt helped me understand the resentment I felt towards Renee.

“Willow, no one could ever replace your mother,” Matt told me. He affectionately massaged my shoulder as he spoke. “And who knows? Maybe they aren’t dating. You could be getting yourself worked up over nothing. I wouldn’t worry about it until you’re sure of what’s really going on.”

Confession time. “I actually confronted Renee as soon as we left the house, but she denied that they’re involved. I’m not sure I trust her though. Will you keep an eye on them when they’re around each other?” I asked. “Watch how they interact, see if you see the same things I did.”

“Of course. I’d do anything for you, Willow, you know that.”

“Thanks, Matt. You should come to the rodeo with us on Saturday. I know that Renee will be there. It will give us a chance to watch them outside of work. And you can help me avoid Bradley.” I picked a lemonade soaked horsefly out of my glass and poured myself a fresh drink.

“Attractive, muscular men bouncing around on wild animals? Count me in,” he agreed with a mischievous grin. “Though I’m not sure I’ll be much help with the Bradley situation. I think the whole reason Cole and Dale have been pushing you together is because Bradley has real feelings for you. You know he had a crush on you in high school.”

Matt and I had gone to school with Bradley since kindergarten. He was a good guy and we
did
have a lot in common, but I’d just never found him attractive.

“If he has a crush on me, he needs to get over it,” I insisted.

“I don’t know,” Matt argued. “I think the two of you would be cute together. And you know he’d be good to you.”

I sighed and watched beads of condensation run down my glass. “That’s just it… he’s
too
good, too nice. Bradley’s never made a mistake, never done anything exciting. And he’s so old fashioned. The last thing I want to be is a farmer’s wife, stuck in the house all day raising babies.”

Matt smiled. “We’re too alike, you and I. We both love the bad boys.”

I was about to respond when I heard the sound of a diesel engine. I looked up and saw my truck rolling down the driveway.

“That was fast, I guess the store wasn’t busy,” I observed. “We’d better get back to work. I don’t want Renee to get the wrong idea and think that we sit around all the time.”

Matt stood up and helped me to my feet. “You start leading everyone to the walker, I’ll grab the dolly and help Renee unload the feed. And remember what I said, Willow. There’s no use getting upset about something that may not be happening.”

“I’ll do my best,” I promised. I walked back into the barn, knowing that there was no chance of pushing my worries about Renee and Daddy out of my head.

“Guys… Cole, Willow, over here!” Renee cried out.

I scanned the crowd and spotted Renee and James standing near the concession stand. I hadn’t expected to see James until the rodeo was over so his presence caught me off guard.

Damn it! I haven’t checked my hair, or my makeup… Jesus, why am I so nervous? He’s just a man… a man I don’t even like, not really. But God he’s hot.

James was even more attractive than I’d remembered. His arms and chest had filled out since high school and his chiseled face was browned by the sun.

“Just breathe,” Matt whispered out of the corner of his mouth. He took my hand and we followed Daddy over to Renee and James.

“I’m so glad you could make it,” Renee told us as we approached. “You all remember my son, James, don’t you?” She smiled and looped her arm through her son’s.

“Yes, of course,” Daddy replied. He shook James’s hand. “It’s so good to see you. You’ve certainly grown up since the last time we met. I’m sure your mother is thrilled to have you home again. You remember Willow and Matt? I think they were a few years behind you in school.”

James was stiff and seemed bothered by our presence. “I’m not sure we ever really met,” he answered dryly. He looked me up and down, as if he was surveying merchandise. Part of me wanted to slap his face, but part of me was flattered he was looking at me at all.

“Well, you were a couple of years apart,” Renee said. “But I’m sure you’ll all become fast friends now. James, Willow and Matt are incredible with horses. You should all get together and go for a ride sometime.”

“Maybe,” he replied with a hint of disdain in his voice. “Right now, I need to get to the stables and check on Seven. The roping will start soon and I need to make sure he’s ready.”

Daddy whistled. “I didn’t realize that you rope as well. You’re a man of many talents, that’s impressive.”

“Thank you, Mr. Rogers. I hope you all enjoy the show.” James nodded his head in goodbye and set off for the barn.

“I was just about to get something to drink and find our seats,” Renee told us. “Would you all like anything?”

“Please, let me,” Daddy insisted. We walked up to the concession stand and each ordered a soda. My Coke was flat and watery, but I was happy to have something to do with my hands other than fidget. Matt and I followed Renee and Daddy into the arena and I was surprised by how small the crowd was.

“A lot of people show up late,” Renee explained, as if she was reading my mind. “The bull riders draw the biggest crowd. People will trickle in as the night goes on. Now, where are we…?” She pulled out her ticket. “Box four… it should be down here near the bull chute.”

“Wow, we’re in a box?” Matt asked. “I guess I should have looked at my ticket. I’ve been psyching myself up to sit on hard bleachers.”

Renee shook her head. “James is my only child, Matt. I like to be close so if something happens, I won’t have to fight the crowd to get to him. Oh look, Dale and Bradley are already here.”

I groaned, but Matt was the only one who seemed to notice. We made our way to Box four. Dale spotted us first and he and his son rose to greet us.

“Hey guys, we were wondering when you’d get here,” Dale said. “Good to see you, Matt. Willow, you look lovely as always.”

“Yes, you look amazing, Willow,” Bradley agreed.

“Thank you,” I replied. I tucked a strand of my long blonde hair behind my ears and gave Bradley and Dale each a stiff hug. Daddy and Renee joined Dale in the front row of padded folding chairs while Matt, Bradley, and I filed in behind them. I settled in to my seat with Bradley to my left and Matt to my right.

“I can’t wait for the action to start. What’s up first?” Matt asked.

“Steer roping, I think,” Bradley replied. He leaned into my ear and whispered, “To be honest, rodeos aren’t really my thing. But when Dad said you’d be here, I couldn’t resist.”

You should have just stayed home.

“Really? I love rodeos,” I told him. I leaned away and draped my arm across the back of Matt’s chair, hoping that Bradley would take the hint. I’d never showed the slightest bit of interest in him, but that never stopped him from pursuing me.

The announcer walked across the dirt floor to the middle of the stadium. In a booming voice, he welcomed us and gave a stern reminder that flash photography wasn’t allowed during the show. A longhorn steer ran in to the arena and the rodeo officially began.

I didn’t pay much attention to the action in front of us. I was too busy studying Daddy and Renee. In my opinion, they were sitting too close to each other. As the cowboys rounded up the steers, Daddy made horrible jokes and Renee laughed much too enthusiastically. I’d forgotten that James was roping until the announcer called his name. I tore my eyes away from Daddy and Renee and turned back to the show.

James entered the arena on one of the biggest horses I’d ever seen. Seven was a beautiful leopard Appaloosa, with thick legs and solid hindquarters. James looked completely at home on his back as they raced towards the steer. James had the animal roped and tied in what the announcer said was record time.

“I can’t believe you enjoy this,” Bradley told me. “Roping them to do vetting is one thing. Roping them for show just seems… barbaric.”

“I think it’s hot,” Matt announced. The corner of his mouth curled up in a sly smile. “I wonder if there are any cowboys here that bat for my team…”

“I’m sure there’s at least one,” Bradley told him. “But you could do better than a cowboy. Haven’t you heard that Willie Nelson song?”

“Yes, but that song doesn’t get in to how sexy a man on a horse can be,” Matt answered with a smile, his eyebrows moving up and down.

Bradley turned his nose up and looked back to the show. The steer roping ended and James was declared the winner. The next two hours passed in a blur as riders performed tricks, raced barrels, and bent poles. I didn’t pay attention to who won what. I was, again, too busy watching Daddy and Renee. Bradley tried to strike up conversations, but after hearing a string of “yeah”, “no”, and “uh huh”, he gave up and watched the rodeo in silence. Finally, it was time for the bull riding.

As Renee had promised, the stadium was packed with people for the final event of the night. The first rider was thrown from a bucking black bull straight out of the gate.

Renee turned around. “That’s Knightwind,” she explained. “He’s infamous for being impossible to ride. Only five people have ever held on the entire eight seconds. I hope James hasn’t drawn him.”

Twenty minutes later, after eight more riders had had their turn, Renee’s fears were realized. Knightwind was driven into the chute and James crawled onto his back.

“I’m sure he’ll be just fine,” Daddy assured Renee. He took her hand and I shot Matt an “I told you so” look.

He put his arm around me and drew me close. “She’s scared. Maybe he’s just comforting her. We hold hands all the time and there’s nothing romantic going on between us.”

I was going to argue, but the chute opened and pulled my attention back to James. The bull bucked and jumped, but he remained rooted to his saddle. I watched him move with the wild beast, conquering nature, and I got wet between my legs. The buzzer sounded, announcing that James had reached his eight second goal.

“James Parker, ladies and gentlemen, only the sixth man to complete a ride on Knightwind,” the announcer said as James slid off the bull’s back. Two rodeo clowns hustled Knightwind back into the chute as we waited to hear James’s score.

“Like I said, this is sexy,” Matt told me with a grin. He touched me gently on the chin and I realized that my mouth was open in awe. I shut it quickly and turned away, my face hot with embarrassment.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our last rider of the night has been declared our winner. That’s first place in steer roping and bull riding for James Parker. Let’s give him a round of applause.”

The crowd cheered; Renee, Daddy, and Dale gave a standing ovation. Matt and I joined them while Bradley remained sulking in his seat. James accepted his second trophy of the night, waved at the crowd, and ran out of the arena. The applause died down and we returned to our seats.

“So, what are you doing after this?” Bradley asked hopefully. “Would you like to go get dinner, or a drink? Dad could ride home with Cole and Matt and we could take his truck.”

I shook my head, thankful to have an out. “We’re meeting with James. We have ranch business to discuss.”

Bradley looked like he’d just bitten in to something sour. “What does he have to do with the ranch?”

“He’ll be working there, if Daddy gets his way,” I explained.

“Fine, some other time then,” he said hopefully.

“We’ll see… racing season is in full force. I’m going to be pretty busy.”

Bradley frowned, but didn’t argue. We stayed in our seats for a few minutes, waiting for the crowd to disperse. Once the stadium was nearly empty, Daddy and Renee rose from their seats.

“Dale, Bradley, I’m glad you guys could come tonight,” Daddy told them. “But if you’ll excuse us, we have some business to attend to.”

“Will you be at poker Monday night?” Dale asked.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Daddy assured him. They shook hands and we filed out of the box. Dale and Bradley set off for the main exit while the rest of us walked towards the backside of the stadium. Bradley didn’t bother saying goodbye.

“James is probably loading Seven,” Renee explained. “I bet we’ll find him at his trailer.”

We left the stadium through the back exit and made our way to the rows of trucks and trailers. Renee headed towards a beat up Ford attached to an impressive, nearly new horse trailer. We got there just as James was locking the trailer door.

“Baby, I’m so proud of you,” Renee said as she wrapped her son in a hug. “I was so worried when I saw Knightwind in that chute. But you handled him like a champ.”

“Thanks, Mom,” James said as she pulled away. A broad smile had replaced his surly disposition. “To be honest, I was a bit worried myself. But that was an adrenaline rush like no other.”

“Very impressive,” Daddy told him. “I hope you don’t mind if the kids and I join you and your mom for dinner. I have an idea I’d like to discuss with you.”

“The more the merrier,” James agreed. He looked me up and down again and I turned away as I felt my cheeks flush red again.

“Mom, can I ride with you?” he continued. “I don’t want to try and squeeze the trailer into a parking lot.”

“Of course sweetheart, that will give us time to catch up. Where would you like to go?”

“There’s a great Mexican place nearby; does that sound okay to everyone else?”

“Perfect!” Daddy agreed. “I know just the place you’re talking about. We’ll see you there in a few minutes.”

Renee was parked near James, but Daddy had parked in the main lot with all of the other spectators. As we made our way back to the truck, I wondered how in the world I’d be able to eat anything with James Parker watching me.

***

Dinner went surprisingly well that night. After two margaritas I felt much more at ease and I was able to relax and enjoy myself. James was high off of his wins and seemed to enjoy our company.

When Daddy explained the extended trail rides he wanted to offer, James shocked everyone by quickly accepting the job. He was so excited about getting started, he decided to skip his next rodeo and get to work right away. Daddy promised to schedule the rides so that James could still make it to rodeos close to home, and James seemed grateful for the consideration. They agreed to ride out the possible trails first thing Monday morning.

But when Monday rolled around, plans changed. Matt and I were already at the barn when James and Renee arrived. They were in James’s truck, with Seven in the trailer behind them.

“Good morning,” Renee greeted us as she slid out of the passenger seat. James remained fixed behind the steering wheel. “Sorry we’re a little late. Seven didn’t want to load this morning, but it seemed silly for us to drive separately.”

“No problem, I completely understand,” I told her. “We just fed everyone breakfast. If you want to pull up to the stables, you can unload Seven there. That’s where we keep the horses we ride on a regular basis,” I explained to James.

“You can stay here, Mom. I’ve got this,” James said. He seemed to be in a bad mood, but I didn’t know why.

“I’ll go up to the house and let Daddy know you’re here,” I told him. I turned to Matt. “Do you need anything while I’m up there?”

“We’re out of coffee,” he told me. “I made the last pot this morning.”

“I’ll grab another canister.”

Renee grabbed a horse brush and started grooming Thunder. James pulled forward to the stables while Matt grabbed a brush of his own and started working on Clementine. I jumped in the ATV and drove to the main house.

“Daddy, James is here,” I called out as I walked through the front door. I went to the kitchen to fetch the coffee and found him pacing the floors with his phone pressed to his ear. He held up his pointer finger, signaling me to wait.

“Okay, I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he promised whoever he was talking to. He ended the call and slid the phone into his shirt pocket.